Published 7:00 pm, Friday, February 10, 2006

Today's issue of the Daily News starts a 45-day timer ticking for those who want plans for a brand new jail brought to a vote of the people.

Inside the print edition is a "notice of intent," an ad placed by the Midland County Board of Commissioners detailing the plan to issue up to $25 million in bonds for the project.

That means an army of residents - District 2 Commissioner Tom Neuenfeldt is leading a petition for referendum and estimates as many as 200 have agreed to help - will be knocking on doors across the county collecting signatures. It will take upward of 6,200, 10 percent of registered county voters, to put the jail matter on a ballot at either the August primary election or a special election before it.

To get a jump on the task of petitioning, Neuenfeldt is planning to host a sign-in this morning, 8 a.m to noon at the office of John Rapanos, who is supporting and helping with the drive.

The office is shared with Delta College's Midland campus at 925 E. Wheeler, at the corner of Washington and Wheeler.

The County Commission voted unanimously this week to set the construction project in motion by moving ahead with the bonds through contract with the Midland County Building Authority. Despite his own affirmative vote, Neuenfeldt argues that a new jail could be built at its existing Main Street address less expensively.

If the jail needs to be placed somewhere else, Wright recommends the nearby location slated for the construction of Midland's minor league baseball team and stadium. "The stadium could be out by the civic arena," he said.

There have been all kinds of suggestions over the last twenty years, and voters have protested alternate sites before. Wright thinks collecting enough anti-bond signatures to halt the project is possible. "I think we're going to do well," he said.

Residents interested in collecting signatures can call Neuenfeldt at (989) 832-1862 or (989) 859-2432. Petitions to circulate or sign are available during business hours at Rapanos' office, which is also a drop-off point.

"We need people to get involved," Neuenfeldt said, adding that there are plenty of volunteers in the city, but more are needed to cover townships.

The group hopes to get more signatures than required. "We want to make sure we have some padding," Neuenfeldt said. Petitions must be filled out with careful attention to detail by registered voters only, and some signatures might get tossed out.